Kobalos

For the backdoor malware, see Kobalos (malware).

The kobalos (pl. kobaloi) (Ancient Greek: κόβαλος, plural: κόβαλοι) was a sprite from Greek mythology, a mischievous creature fond of tricking and frightening mortals.[1] The kobaloi were companions of Dionysus and could shapeshift as Dionysus in the guise of Choroimanes-Aiolomorphos.[2] According to one myth, they robbed Herakles while he slept. He captured them in revenge but took pity on them when he found them amusing. In one version of the myth, Herakles gave them to the Lydian queen Omphale as a gift. The kobaloi were thought to live in Euboea or near Thermopylae.[3] Parents used tales of the kobaloi to frighten children into behaving.[4]

  1. ^ Roby, John (1829). Traditions of Lancashire. Quoted in Hardwick 139. The sources spell the word khobalus.
  2. ^ Brown 231.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brown 230 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Davis 61.